Locking flex-head ratchet wrench

Abstract

A ratcheting tool including a handle formed with an integral yoke at a first end and a tool head coupled to the yoke at a pivot. The tool head has a toothed hub facing rearwardly of the pivot and into the yoke. A locking spool is rotatably carried in the yoke adjacent the toothed hub. The locking spool has a first face, a second face, and a first tooth extending along both the first face and the second face and engaging the toothed hub. The locking spool is rotatable between a first position in which the first face is adjacent the toothed hub, thereby locking the tool head in a selected angular position with respect to the handle, and a second position in which the second face is adjacent the toothed hub such that the tool head is pivotable about the pivot.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A ratcheting tool comprising:
 a handle formed with a yoke at a first end; 
 a tool head having a toothed hub disposed thereon, said toothed hub being coupled to said yoke at a pivot such that said tool head is coupled to said first end of said handle; 
 a locking spool rotatably carried in said yoke adjacent said toothed hub, said locking spool having a first face, a second face, and a first tooth extending along both said first face and said second face; and 
 wherein said locking spool is rotatable between a first position in which said first face is adjacent said toothed hub, thereby locking said tool head in a selected angular position with respect to said handle, and a second position in which said second face is adjacent to said toothed hub such that said tool head is pivotable about said pivot, said first tooth engaging said toothed hub in both said first position and said second position. 
 
     
     
       2. The ratcheting tool according to  claim 1 , wherein said first face is contiguous to said second face. 
     
     
       3. The ratcheting tool according to  claim 1 , wherein an axis of rotation of said locking spool is orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of said handle. 
     
     
       4. The ratcheting tool according to  claim 1 , said first face further comprising a second tooth, said second tooth engaging said toothed hub when said locking spool is in said first position. 
     
     
       5. The ratcheting tool according to  claim 1 , wherein said yoke is integral to said handle. 
     
     
       6. The ratcheting tool according to  claim 1 , further comprising a detent disposed between a backside of said locking spool and a back wall of said yoke, wherein when said locking spool is in said second position said detent urges said second face of said locking spool into contact with said toothed hub and allows motion of said locking spool along a longitudinal axis of said handle such that said first tooth overrides said toothed hub as said tool head is rotated about said pivot. 
     
     
       7. The ratcheting tool according to  claim 1 , further comprising a detent disposed between a backside of said locking spool and a back wall of said yoke, said detent configured to allow motion of said locking spool along a longitudinal axis of said handle when said locking spool is in said second position. 
     
     
       8. The ratcheting tool according to  claim 7 , further comprising a blind bore formed in said backside of said locking spool, said detent depending outwardly therefrom. 
     
     
       9. The ratcheting tool according to  claim 7 , wherein said locking spool is wedged between said toothed hub and said back wall of said yoke when said locking spool is in said first position. 
     
     
       10. The ratcheting tool according to  claim 1 , wherein said locking spool further comprises a first plurality of teeth on said first face, a second plurality of teeth on said second face, and said first tooth is common to both said first and said second pluralities of teeth. 
     
     
       11. The ratcheting tool according to  claim 1 , wherein said tool head further comprises a selectively reversible ratcheting wrench head. 
     
     
       12. The ratcheting tool according to  claim 1 , wherein said first face and said second face of said locking spool meet at an angle. 
     
     
       13. The ratcheting tool according to  claim 1 , wherein the first tooth further comprises a first tooth portion disposed on said first face and a second tooth portion disposed on said second face, wherein said first tooth portion and said second tooth portion are both straight tooth portions. 
     
     
       14. A locking flex-head tool comprising:
 a handle formed with a yoke at a first end; 
 a tool head including a toothed hub disposed thereon, said tool head pivotally connected to said handle at a pivot such that said toothed hub faces inwardly into said yoke; 
 a locking spool rotatably carried in said yoke, said locking spool being rotatable between a first position and a second position, said locking spool including a first tooth with a first tooth portion configured to engage said toothed hub in said first position; and 
 wherein said tool head is fixed in a desired angular position relative to said handle when said locking spool is in said first position and said tool head is both pivotable relative to said handle and movable along a longitudinal axis of said handle when said locking spool is in said second position, and 
 wherein said locking spool is in said first position said locking spool contacts said toothed hub and an inner wall of said yoke such that movement of said locking spool along said longitudinal axis of said handle is prevented. 
 
     
     
       15. The locking flex-head tool according to  claim 14 , wherein said yoke is integral to said handle. 
     
     
       16. The locking flex-head tool according to  claim 14 , wherein an axis of rotation of said locking spool is orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of said handle. 
     
     
       17. The locking flex-head wrench of  claim 14 , further comprising a detent disposed between said locking spool and an inner surface of said yoke, said detent urging said locking spool into contact with said toothed hub. 
     
     
       18. The locking flex-head wrench according to  claim 14 , wherein said tool head further comprises a ratcheting wrench head. 
     
     
       19. The locking flex-head tool according to claim,  14 , wherein the first tooth further comprises a second tooth portion configured to engage said toothed hub in said second position of said locking spool. 
     
     
       20. The locking flex-head tool according to  claim 19 , wherein said first tooth portion and said second tooth portion are both straight. 
     
     
       21. A ratcheting tool comprising:
 a handle with a bearing surface; 
 a tool head coupled to said handle at a pivot, said tool head having a toothed hub; 
 a locking spool rotatably carried between said handle and said tool head, said locking spool including a first face with a first tooth portion, a second face with a second tooth portion, said first and second tooth portions intersecting at an angle and said locking spool being rotatable between a first position and a second position; and 
 wherein in said first position said first face opposes said toothed hub such that said first tooth portion engages said toothed hub and said locking spool is disposed in an axially-fixed position between said toothed hub and said bearing surface, thereby preventing said tool head from pivoting relative to said handle; and 
 in said second position said second face opposes said toothed hub such that said second tooth portion engages said toothed hub and said locking spool is disposed in an axially-slidable position, such that pivoting said tool head relative to said handle causes said toothed hub to override said second tooth portion. 
 
     
     
       22. The ratcheting tool of  claim 21 , wherein said first tooth portion and said second tooth portion are adjoined and form a single first tooth. 
     
     
       23. The ratcheting tool of  claim 21 , wherein one of said first and second tooth portions engages said toothed hub prior to the other of said first and second toothed portions disengaging said toothed hub as said locking spool is rotated between said first and second positions. 
     
     
       24. The ratcheting tool of  claim 21 , further comprising a spring disposed between said handle and said locking spool, said spring biasing said locking spool toward said tool head. 
     
     
       25. The ratcheting tool of  claim 21 , wherein said first tooth portion and said second tooth portion are both straight tooth portions.